Description

A high quality route just past Up Yours. I found the cruxes a little harder than the 5.5 guidebook rating but they are short and well protected. Loose rock isn't much of a problem although there is a little in the middle of the route; the cruxes are all clean and solid. Lots of good climbing. Finish with the last pitch of Up Yours / Horney for a more direct line and better climbing.

An obvious crack / corner system leads up the clean rock just left of Up Yours / Elder Cleavage. Do a long pitch up to the GT ledge and then on up.

Repeated Loose Goose recently having first done it several years ago. The few moves at the crack in the LF dihedral 40 feet up seem to be solid 5.6. The hand crack corner up to the big pine tree rap station also seems to be solid 5.6. Both sections have excellent pro. Climbing on P2 and P3 is worthwhile in the 5.4 to 5.5 range.

When I first did the route I moved up and left for P2 and walked left and climbed up the big, dirty ramp/corner/break for P3. It was okay.

The way I did P2 and P3 the other day featured much better climbing. Move straight up from the P1 belay to the GT Ledge for P2 and then up, angling left around the big roofs for P3. Go straight up to the top, with a few demanding moves including a mantle finish. Move right 25 feet and scramble down to rap station ledge for rap. P2 is a bit licheny, P3 is clean. I didn't find loose rock on either pitch. Done this way it is well worth continuing beyond P1.

I will be interested to see Williams' route description and grade in the new Nears guide.

Nothing Loose about the Goose. Good climbing at the grade on clean rock. After first crux you can safely examine the variation on Crack Climb (5.8* G, making the whole climb near 3* quality)...this variation is a great option, with a rest below the tuff stuff and adequate gear throughout (make haste). This option will send you up to the Swiss Air rappel (up and left of route terminus...about 120 feet, one 60m rappel will reach a 3/4th class gully scramble to the bottom of the cliff). Enjoy!

I initially commented to add that the 5.8 crack climb variation is well worth it but that has been added as a separate climb now...

reclimbed this 8/17/2013 and it does seem like a solid 5.6+ although the crux is short and as well protected as a crux can be. Was a bit harder than I remembered when I chose it as an introduction to outdoor climbing for a friend. The second crux is easier and equally well protected.

I did this one again this past Saturday (7/19/14). This is the 3rd time I've lead it and there is a very obvious 'open book' you can see from the ground. The first few times I did this climb, I thought that 'open book' was the 5.8 variation. Now that I've done the route a few times, I believe the open book is on route, but it is definitely not 5.6! I would say 5.7. I'm still unsure of where the 5.8 variation is, but it seems according to the Williams guide that the variation is left of the Loose Goose route.

I rope soloed this in December of '90 just as a storm was moving in. I was trying to go fast to get one last route in, and all went well until the last pitch when the storm hit and the rope froze to the wall! By the time I topped out I was the only climber and mine was the only car anywhere along the road.

I found this to be a fun, well protected climb with simple route finding. Not sure how you can get lost on this one.

5.8 variation is awesome and very well worth doing.

It's worth doing the remaining pitches. P2 is dirty, but super easy. P3 is a hoot! Fun, easy, juggy climbing leads to a steep head wall/top out. The headwall looks scary from below but the gear and holds are all there. Highly recommend p3. We had doubles; we rapped off the tree with cable down to the Bee Bite belay. Doubles, got us down to our packs.

Lots of fun, varied climbing on this climb. Not sure why it isn't a fan favorite. Certainly rivals the Trapps classics in this grade.